


The Treasure That You Are

by Stitched In Ice (Stein414)



Category: One Piece
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-13 23:18:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1244197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stein414/pseuds/Stitched%20In%20Ice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Strawhat stories with no real plot, mostly focusing around Zoro.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fifty Shades of Marimo

**Author's Note:**

> 50 themes, taken from livejournal. God I love doing 50 themes.

**-0-0-0-0-0**

**1\. Cinnamon**

When Zoro had discovered that Luffy would eat anything, even a jar of pure cinnamon powder, he had laughed himself sick. Then he laughed some more when Luffy gagged and began spitting it all over the galley floor.

**2\. Bittersweet**

It was a bittersweet thing, beating Mihawk. For so long, he had dreamed of this moment, this day and couldn't wait to fufill his oath to his childhood friend. But now that he had done it, he had nothing else to do. His last real link to her was gone.

**3\. Technology**

No one understood the technology of Den Den Mushi or how they worked. Zoro hated them all the same though for immitating his appearance and giving the love-cook yet another reason to laugh at his green hair, now also covering the stupid snail.

**4\. "What was that for?"**

Growling and soaking wet, Zoro slapped Luffy over the top of his  _dry_  head as he sloshed back to his room to dry off, ignoring Luffy's indignant question. How was he supposed to know that the splash he'd heard hadn't been Luffy falling in yet again, and was simply some fish swimming around?

**5\. Rumors**

There were a lot of rumours surrounding the Strawhat crew and it's members. They were ridiculous rumours and anyone with half a brain would know they weren't true, but it still comforted him all the same when Zoro realized that no one on the crew actually thought he was a Demon.

**6\. Sacrifice**

Breaking his promise went against everything in his soul, but Zoro would sacrifice the whole world and more to save Luffy's life and he knew that after Kuma finished with him and he went to the afterlife, Kuina would probably forgive him anyways.

**7\. Reunion**

The reunion between the Strawhats at Saobody Archipelago was like a breath of fresh air for Zoro. He hadn't realized until he had been without them, how much he needed his crew. Seeing them all together again was like getting back a piece of his soul. He was whole again.

**8\. Sword & Shield**

Sometimes he thought of himself as their sword and shield. He was the blade, the swordsman, the fighter. But he was also the shield and the protector. If ever something would try to hurt the crew, he would be there, sword in hand and ready to shield them with his life.

**9\. My happy ending**

He'd never really thought about what he wanted to do after he became the best. Later, when someone asked him, Zoro realized that the only thing he wanted was to stay with his crew- his family- and see their dreams come true. Their happy ending was his happy ending.

**10\. Windows of the soul**

They say eyes are the windows to the soul, Zoro thought as he stared in the mirror. He hoped not, because then his soul would be a really ugly murky green and that didn't sound like a very nice soul to have.

**11\. Served your purpose**

Pluging his arms into the large bubble of red pain, agony wracking his body and screams ripping through his thraot, Zoro's last truly coherent thought was that at least he'd served his purpose as a first mate- he'd finally done something right.

**12\. Forever ours**

And as the darkness surrounded him and he fell into cold, he heard Luffy scream to the sky and proclaim that death could never take him because Zoro was  _theirs_  dammit.

**13\. Introspection**

In introspect, Zoro realized that he was actually really fucked up and needed some kind of intense psychological help. Realizing this, he promptly ignored it and took another drink.

**14\. "If only..."**

Drinking put him in a pensive and melancholy mood. All too often he would sit there, bottle in hand and question everything in existence. Himself, his companions, his life... He tried to ignore the questions wondering what would have happened if she had lived.

**15\. Lost**

And dammit he  _wasn't lost,_ the world was just moving around him, Zoro thought adamantly as he saw the marked tree for the fifth time in a row.

**16\. Words of the heart**

If the heart could speak, her heart would assuredly be crying, Zoro thought as he watched Robin scream at them from across the way. But they would fix that when they rescued her, he knew. Because once his heart had also been crying, and they had fixed that.

**17\. Inspiration**

The conversation eventually came around when the crew came together and shared their tragic pasts and sources of inspiration. Zoro opted to stay out of this discution and just listened as everyone shared their own. He had told no one of his past yet and he didn't plan to. Because until he said it outloud and actually acknowledged it that she was  _truly gone-_  The there was still a chance that she wasn't.

**18\. Reaching**

Struggling through the waves of the dark sea, Zoro began reaching blindly for the boy who had fallen in. Grasping onto the small hoof, Zoro pulled Chopper close and desperately small for the surface. He wouldn't let yet another child die on his watch.

**19\. Chaos**

There were few words to describe the Strawhat family. One of them was chaos, what with the constant singing, shouting, hitting, screaming, crying and swearing, mixed in with a good dash of fighting. The other word to describe them was family.

**20\. Holiday**

There weren't many holidays that he celebrated, but Christmas was one of them. Not for the gifts or religious reasons, but for the little reindeer boy who'd never had anyone to celebrate his birthday with him before.

**21\. Release**

Zoro smiled and let go of his hand, body falling through the air without Sanji's grip to keep him on the cliff. Because when it came to his life and the life of those he cared about, his crew would always come first.

**22\. Pain relief**

Because as much as the red bubble hurt, it was a relief to take all of his pain and hurt, all of his suffering and fatigue. Finally, after all Luffy had endured for them, Zoro would be enduring for  _him._

**23\. Begging**

He was a proud man full of honor, but as he kneeled in front of Kuma and begged for Luffy's life, Zoro felt no shame in offering hisself for someone who had done so much for him.

**24\. Can't deny it**

It was when he encountered an old acquaintance from the past, a fellow bounty hunter, and he called him soft that Zoro realized he couldn't deny it. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

**25\. Unsweetened tea**

Zoro wasn't really much of a tea drinker, but when he did drink it there had to be a lot of sugar. Once he had drank some of Brook's tea by mistake and had spit it all over the floor, demanding how he could drink something so gross.

**26\. Lyrics**

Zoro wasn't much of a fan of music, but he made sure to remember the lyrics to Binks' Sake for the old skeleton's sake. And as he sang along with the rest of the crew, he knew that Brook would be smiling if only he could.

**27\. Secret art**

He was actually a very good dancer when push came to shove, but Zoro made sure to never let anyone realize the fact. He could only imagine how much flak he would get from the rest of the crew after they'd finished laughing at him.

**28\. Justice**

He had never been a very big fan of justice and things related, but he began to downright dislike them after meeting the marine girl who haunted his dreams and walked his nightmares.

**29\. "Wait a minute!"**

Zoro stopped momentarily, letting the ghost girl catch up to him. True, she annoyed him, but he didn't really want to be alone on this creepy island anymore than she did.

**30\. Dry your tears**

He came upon her crying during the night, on the way to get some more booze. He said nothing, but fetched her a blanket and and sat beside her quietly as she sobbed into her hands. He didn't know why Robin was crying, but they all had their secrets.

**31\. Desolation**

He was filled with a momentary feeling of empty despair as he watched Merry sink into the sea, flames being extinguished by the ocean. Another comrade he'd lost. Another friend he hadn't been able to save.

**32\. School uniforms**

Zoro smiled as he watched the gaggle of kids in school uniforms walk by him, talking about their lives and problems. Sometimes he wished he could be one of them, innocent to the horrors of the world.

**33\. Cross-dressing**

Glaring at the mirror, Zoro decided that he really hadn't been meant to be a woman. Shifting uncomfortably in the borrowed dress that didn't fit right and repositioning the wig that kept falling off, he already couldn't wait until they could leave this stupid "woman-only" island.

**34\. Seven deadly sins**

He'd realized that they all represented one of the sins, as he nursed a mug of ale. The whole crew was just a group of horrible sinners. But then, he thought, without the sins there would be no virtues, would there?

**35\. "Why me...?"**

It was a question he'd heard (and thought) many times before, but holding Chopper in his arms as he cried, Zoro answered for the first time.

"Because you're special."

**36\. "Never give up!"**

There were a very strict set of moral rules that Zoro abided by, however few they were, and to never give up was one of them. Sometimes though, rules had to be broken for the sake of others.

**37\. Fortune**

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on who you were, Zoro was really lucky when it came to games of chance. Because of this, Nami was constantly dragging him around to gambling houses and casinos when all he really wanted to do was sleep.

**38\. Sensations**

As he closed his eyes and centered himself in meditation, Zoro returned to that peaceful place inside his mind. Digging deeper and spreading farther, he sensed the breath of all things and in that moment felt at one with the universe.

**39\. Black & White**

Life wasn't black and white, halved and split into definite sides. Life was shades upon shades of overlapping colours, as varied and beautiful as the rainbow, if only you remembered to open your eyes. The first time Zoro was opened his eyes was the first day he spent with Luffy.

**40\. Mail**

There was a swelling feeling of pride in his belly, the first time he saw his bounty brought in with the morning mail. The feeling just grew stronger and stronger, growing with his bounty. Because the higher his bounty, the closer he was to his goal.

**41\. Boundless energy**

Laying sprawled out on the grass, Zoro huffed and glared at his Captain, cursing and wondering where all of that boundless and annoying energy came from.

**42\. Walk out**

Most of the time Zoro liked to face his problems head on. Sometimes though, he had to walk away before he ended up doing something he'd regret. Sanji continued to mock him as he walked out of the galley, knuckles white as he clenched the hilt of his sword.

**43\. Realization**

It was the realization that he felt content for the first time in years that made Zoro let Johnny and Yosaku tag along with him and call him 'Aniki' as he shared his bounties with them.

**44\. Private stash**

The men of the crew each had a 'secret stash' of porno mags, hidden in their belongings. It wasn't really a secret since they all knew about it, but they pretended they had no idea whenever Nami would find one and interrogate them on who's it was.

**45\. Games**

It was a rare day when Zoro would join in on the games the younger members played on deck, but every once and a while he would agree to play when Luffy asked. Of course, he only ever played Hide and Seek, because then he could nap in quiet while they searched and failed to find him.

**46\. Cloud 9**

He had mixed feelings about Skypeia, what with it's cloud-ground and cloud-water and all. Sure, it felt real enough but it was when he remembered that he was millions of miles above ground that he deperately wished he'd never agreed to come up there.

**47\. Deja Vu**

It was on odd feeling of semi-Deja Vu when he saw her fighting the bandits. If it weren't for the clumsiness, he'd have thought that somehow  _she'd_  survived and no one had told him about it. The illusion broke when she put her glasses back on.

**48\. "Say something!"**

"Zoro!" Luffy screamed at him, hands clutching his blood stained shirt. "Zoro no! You idiot!" He cried, tears runnig down his face. You- you stupid-..." He trailed off into sobs, shoulders shaking. "Why... why did you..." Luffy pulled Zoro's body closer, curling around him. "S-say something... Zoro... say something..."

But the dead don't speak.

**49\. Protection**

The first time he had sex, he was drunk. He woke up the next morning naked in a stranger's house laying beside an equally naked girl. He left a note and got the hell out of there. Three years later, he got a snail call telling him he had a little girl named Ami.

**50\. Hidden within**

He was pretty pathetic at first glance. He was  _really_  pathetic at second glance and the third glance was even worse. But Zoro knew that hidden deep inside (really really deep inside), Usopp really was the Brave Warrior that he claimed to be.

**-0-0-0-**

 


	2. Exasperation Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little parody, just because I can.

Hopping up from over the fence, Luffy tilted his head, smiling as he waved to the man. "Hey."

He bounded up to get a closer look, inspecting the bindings. "Uh, I know I just met you..."

He gestured to the ropes tying Zoro to the cross. "And this seems kinda crazy..."

A vein ticked on Zoro's forehead as a feeling of foreboding took over. "But you seem pretty strong so..."

Dear god it was. He was gonna kill this kid when he got free. "... Join me maybe?" Zoro growled and kicked Luffy in the stomach, his arms being tied up.

"Go fuck yourself."


	3. Dreadfull, Dead-full

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy who cried wolf, and so was devoured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I found this in my files and it was apparently wrote this a long time ago because I don't remember it at all. It's titled as 'timetravel' so apparently Zoro was gonna do some traveling through time at some point but... yeah, I have no idea where this is going now. Warning for character death and blood.

It had started out with a death.

Well- multiple deaths actually, but the point was that the thing that began it all was the fact that someone died.

The crew had been sailing along as usual, just another warm day upon the Sunny's deck, 7 crew members lounging about as Sanji prepared supper and Usopp stood on watch in the crow's nest.

Muscles uncoiling as he stretched languishly on the deck, Zoro yawned and leaned back against the railing, slowly letting sleep carry him away as his single eye closed- well, he /had/ been, up until the moment Usopp had screamed like he was being stabbed or something. With that, everyone in hearing range jolted up, eyes fixating on the crow's nest as they dropped whatever they had previously been doing.

Frantic scrabbling was heard as the dark skinned man fled from the lookout as fast as his body would let him, eyes wide and panicked.

"Pirates!" He screamed frightfully, waving his arms about in panic.

At that, the crew relaxed- well most of them. Usopp continued to freak out, which riled Chopper up in to freaking out right along with him, which made Luffy then eventually join in as well because 'it looked fun.'

Growling irately, Nami stood quickly, heels clacking ominously against the deck as she clenched her fists and advanced on the boys. Paranoia tingling, Usopp ducked just in time to avoid her right hook as Nami swung, catching the other two boys.

Crashing into the deck, the two boys nursed lumps on their head and pouted at the navigator, teary eyes demanding to know why she'd done that. Turning her back on the two grounded men, the orange haired lady punched Usopp square in the face, scowling darkly.

"Don't scream like that unless it's something important!" She screeched in outrage, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "We thought you were getting murdered up there or something!"

"B-but Nami, it's Pirates!" The sniper protested, clutching at his now bent nose as he tried to stem the sluggish bleeding.

"Kh!" She scoffed dismissively and placed both hands on her hips. "Just pirates?" She inquired, thin brow raised as she scowled. "Have you forgotten that /we/ are pirates?" She demanded patronisingly.

Grimacing, Usopp sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat even as he waved his free hand in the air, still trying to defend his not-so-manly scream. "But it's like... a really, REALLY big ship! Bigger than Sunny!" Usopp exclaimed, throwing both hands up and apart, to emphasize his point.

Franky raised an incredulous blue brow. Bigger than his magnificent Thousand Sunny? I think not. The cyborg scoffed and adjusted his sunglasses on his metal nose. "Usopp bro, there are sometimes and some things that you just shouldn't lie about." He said gruffly. Because there was no way there was a ship bigger... well okay, maybe by a bit, but not that much.

"I-I'm not lying, really, I'm not!"

The crew rolled their eyes, yeah, they'd heard that one before. They'd had yet to see a moment where he /hadn't/ actually been spouting lies from his arse. Shaking their heads, they all simultaneously (Chopper and Luffy excluded as they were both still laying on the deck, nursing their bruised heads) Turned and ambled off the deck, away from the liar who was still spewing panicked pleading words.

They'd soon regret that decision.

It had taken... 5 hours or so, for them to strike.

By then even Usopp had let the issue slip from his mind, pushing it to the back where he would maybe brew on and pout about it later on.

Gentle waves rocked the giant ship softly, anchored as it was to the seafloor, as the Strawhat crew slumbered on peacefully in their hammocks (Well, the ladies of course got beds, Sanji made sure of that). Even Zoro, Who was supposed to be on watch, was curled up in the crow's nest, dozing lightly as he leaned against the wall, eyes fluttering open every few minutes as he tried valiantly (And failed, might I add) to stay awake.

The next time he woke, it was to a bloodcurdling scream that pierced him straight through the heart, gray-green eyes shooting wide open. He was through the hatch and down the rope ladder before he knew it, running to- to where? Where had that come from?

Looking around wildly, breath just a little bit quicker, Zoro replayed the chilling scream in his mind to identify the voice... Usopp. Tense muscles relaxing just the slightest, the swordsman growled, though he continued to make his was to the men's quarters, where the liar slept. Though his mind assured him the stupid coward had probably just had some nightmare about being... eaten by a rabbit or something, something in his chest wouldn't allow him to let it go, and forced him to check in on the marksman.

A scuffle, a shout and a bang, then another yell and suddenly Zoro was running again, hurtling himself down the hatch to where everyone slept. The sight he was confronted with was not what he had been expecting.

Though he had been fairly peeved when no one had believed him earlier, Usopp couldn't really blame anyone. After all, if he knew someone that lied constantly, he wouldn't exactly trust them right away either. Though of course, Usopp knew how to spot a lie right away, so it wouldn't really matter even /if/ they tried to lie to him.

One of the first ones to go to bed, still sulking childishly, Usopp was abruptly woken up, hair prickling and nerves tingling. Looking around nervously, the long-nose chuckled nervously as his eyes continued to roam the dark. "Just... imagining things." He murmured to himself, a drop of sweat trickling down his brow. Yeah... just his imagination. Settling back down, Usopp shifted into a new position as he rolled over and tried to fall back into the land of dreams.

Try as he might though, the sniper could not fall back asleep, prickling hair and tingling nerves continuing to keep him awake. Taking in a deep breath, Usopp tried as hard as he could to relax his body and just... /will/ himself to sleep... or something. A couple minutes passed, though they felt like an eternity and Usopp heard a barely audible shuffling behind him. As though having been plunged into a glacial lake, Usopp froze, breath hitching just the smallest bit, before he forced himself to breath normally. To change his breathing would let them know he was awake and that wouldn't do, not at /all/.

He decided to wait and when the creeper was close enough, he would tackle them and subdue them. Yes, his plan was perfectly fool proof.

Except that it wasn't.

His would-be assailant was very cautious, moving a millimeter per minute or so it seemed. If they continued moving at said speed, he wouldn't get him till everyone else woke up! Holding back a growl, Usopp breathed in shallowly, ears perked and listening for every detail. Then, when it felt like another hour had passed (probably an exaggeration, but come on, the guy was /so slow/!) and Usopp felt he was close enough, the long-nose inhaled deeply and prepared himself to rollover and jump his night stalker-

Only to let out all his gathered breath in a pained scream, a burning pain blooming through his back, presumingly close to his spine as his back arched in agony. The pain then spread, digging deeper and he felt something well up inside him- only to choke and sputter as he coughed up little flecks of blood.

Valiantly ignoring the pain, like a proper pirate should, Usopp looked back over his shoulder, eyes widening as he came face to face with the barrel of a gun. Pushing his injured body up swiftly as he could, Usopp shoved himself from his hammock, landing on the floor with a pained groan, tears pricking his eyes. Looking around the cabin, the sniper bit his lip as he searched desperately for- anything. A weapon, an ally, a heavy object. Something, anything.

"Help! Please someone wak-!"

His cry for aid was interrupted not even halfway through though as he heard a near deafening sound and /something/ stabbed him in the chest, exploding and tearing at him from the insides.

"Usopp!"

Someone... Chopper... that was Chopper's voice...

It was as if everything had gone into slow motion- almost like he was underwater... His vision was blurry and his body was rapidly going numb...

Well at least he didn't hurt now...

His last thought before everything turned black, was of how cool these new scars would look.

Bursting down the hatch, Zoro was already drawing his swords, eyes wide and burning with a burning anger- How dare /anyone/ touch his nakama!- when he was confronted with the sight before him. Chopper, standing in the middle of the room, trembling and terrified as he lied eyes on the two figures in front of him. One, laying on the floor in a slowly growing pool of blood, barely visible in the dim light, and the other, standing over him with a dripping blade in one hand and what looked like a pistol in the other.

"Chopper! Get back!" Dammit, where the hell was everyone else! Surely there was no way they were /still/ sleeping?! Darting passed the petrified reindeer, Zoro lunged forward, blades sweeping over the man in front of him, streams of blood decorating the green haired man's face as he slashed the intruder. Growling ferociously as the attacker dodged back with only minimal injuries (Compared to what he should have gotten anyway), Zoro began shouting. "Luffy! Franky! Sanji, Brook!" He barked out, usually stoic voice now blazing with a foreign emotion. "Get your fucking asses up!"

And still, there was no movement from anyone other than Zoro and his opponent, Usopp out cold on the floor and Chopper still a living statue. Though maybe not a living one for much longer if he didn't get his ass into gear.

"Chopper!" He screamed, voice breaking with rising panic. "Get Usopp and move! Now!" It seems that he had finally broken through to the young boy. Eyes going blank as they always did when dealing with nakama in the verge of death, Chopper shifted to his Heavy Point and lifted his dying comrade into his arms, racing from the room as quickly as possible.

Snarling hatefully, Zoro intercepted the attacker as he tried to dart for Chopper and Usopp. Blue eyes glinting viciously, his foe spat on the ground, expressing his apparent disgust for the fight, shifting his grip on the knife he held, tucking the gun away only to bring out another blade.

So the fucker came prepared.

"Who the hell are you?" The swordsman grit out venomously, eyes glinting dangerously with fierce light.

And for the first time that night, his enemy spoke, voice like gravel. "I don't think that's what you should be worrying about right now, Roronoa Zoro." A slight twitch of the corner of his mouth- the only sign betraying his apparent amusement. "Did you not wonder why none of your crew mates came to help?" A low chuckle sounded around the now deathly silent room.

"What..." No... There was no way. "Where are they? What did you do to them?!"

"Where /are they~/?" A disgusting smirk slid across his face as Zoro's adversary shook his head. "Why they're right here of course- right where you left them." Too white teeth smiled a perfect grin, each tooth somehow gleaming at him sadistically in it's too perfect way. "You might want to watch where you step when you go and see them though. The floor might be a bit... wet."

_...The floor might be a bit... wet..._

Chest clenching suddenly, painfully, as understanding shot through him, It was as if time stopped. Green eyes widening in shock- disbelief- horror- Zoro's breath caught for what felt like years.

Then a slimy voice broke him from his reverie.

"Some thing the matter, Demon Roronoa?"

There was a moment of heavy silence, the intruder wearing a shit-eating grin, whilst Zoro's face was completely and utterly expressionless.

And then something snapped.

Before he had nary a second to even /breathe/, Zoro had plunged Kitetsu clean through the other man's chest, cursed sword soaking up every drop of blood. Ripping the blade through, he cut the man's torso clean in half, face still cold as stone.


	4. Corylus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Story Challenge:  
> The story takes place in the fall. During the story, someone's method of transportation breaks down. The story must have an earth-spirit in it. The story must have a stained-glass window appear in the middle. A character will drink something alchoholic.

The autumn leaves crunched under foot as Zoro walked through the streets. Dust swirled through the air, blown around by by a stray gust of wind and he sneezed as a bit of it flew up his nose. Searching around as he walked the small town, he eventually found what he had been looking for- a tavern.

See, not even a week after they'd rejoined for the New World, the Strawhats had been attacked by marines. Nothing big really, they hadn't been all that strong, but unfortunately they had been somewhat smart. Instead of going straight for the pirates themselves, they'd gone for the ship, wrecking it up quite a bit before Franky had gone ballistic on them.

So now they were basically stranded on some random island for the next week. Because no matter how amazing a shipwright Franky was, he couldn't fix the Sunny in a snap. The good side was that it would take no longer than a week, which was coincidentally the time it took for the Log to set. Lucky, lucky.

Pushing the tavern door open and absently noting the odd stained glass window on it, Zoro walked in and strode up to the counter. Pulling out a fat wad of beli, he threw it on the counter and pointed to the largest and strongest bottle of sake he could see. The bartender was about to object, saying that wasn't enough money, but then stopped when he saw Zoro's swords. Or it could have been the scars all over his body, or maybe he just knew who he was. Either way, he gulped nervously and pulled down the bottle, handing it over shakily.

Nodding his thanks with a quiet grunt, Zoro walked out of the bar without another word. He usually preffered to drink in solitude where he could think without anyone to bother him. Striding purposefully down a random path, he let his feet take him where they would, knowing he would eventually end up in the wilderness where nobody would bother him.

Finding a nice clearing in the woods, he plopped himself down, arranging his swords beside him. Uncorking the bottle, he took a gulp and almost choked. That was some strong stuff! Grinning, Zoro eagerly began guzzling the bottle, drinking it down with gusto. Soon enough he was half snapped and sprawled out on his back, bottle of grog still clutched in his hand.

Distantly he wondered if there had been more in that bottle than alcohol because it usually didn't make him hallucinate and he must have been hallucinating. Either that or the sky on this island was really unique, being swirly, glowy and rainbow.

The wind blew again and it felt vaguely like someone combing a hand through his hair. Blinking blearily as he felt the 'air-hand' touch his cheek, he sat up uneasily and looked around. Sitting there beside him was a small girl-child. She looked around 9 or so and had long messy hair with flowers strewn in it. Long, messy green hair with flowers. Green.

Gaping in shock, Zoro barely noticed as she continued to touch him, poking and prodding and tugging lightly at his hair. Snapping out of his daze, he frowned and reached up to grab her hand, stopping her from poking him again. "What are you doing?" He slurred.

She said nothing, simply giggling, a sound similar to a flock of twittering birds. She pulled her hand away, leaving a large smear of dirt on his palm and stood, twirling around. Her dress swirled as she did so, looking almost like flower petals... Shaking his head, Zoro blinked and realized that she had stopped and was now holding a hand out to him, like an invitation.

Arching a brow, Zoro cautiously took the hand, setting down his drink as he rose to stand. Smiling brightly, the young girl peered up at him with sky blue eyes and tugged on his hand. Pulling him with her, she led him through the woods to a small pond. Kneeling before it, she pulled him down as well. The two looked into the pond, their reflections staring back. The girl pointed at the reflection-Zoro, then at reflection-girl. His face twisted in confusion as his inebriated mind tried to understand. Seeing that he didn't get it, she reached up to tug at his hair, and then at her own, then pointed again at the reflections.

It dawned on him slowly. "Our... hair?"

She nodded enthusiastically, clapping her small hands together, and combed her fingers through his hair again, leaving behind even more streaks of dirt.

"You... you actually like my hair?" Never before had someone actually liked his hair. Hell, he doubted even his parents had liked his hair, seeing as he had been abandoned as a child.

Tilting her head, she nodded slowly, as though confused as to why he was confused.

And suddenly he was very happy. Why the opinion of some random child he met would make him so happy, he wasn't sure. Hell, it was just hair, it had never mattered to him before... But still, it was as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

Plucking a yellow flower from the ground, the girl-child reached up and tucked it behind Zoro's ear. Pointing to his reflection, Zoro looked and saw the daisy sitting there on his head, making his hair look even more like grass. Turning to the girl, she smiled at him and the wind blew, sounding oddly like a voice as it spoke.

'Pretty!'

He didn't know what possessed him to think this was her voice as it had obviously been the wind, but maybe it was the drink talking. "You think I'm... pretty?"

She nodded again and plucked another flower from the ground, this one pink. She placed it in his large calloused hand and lifted it to her hair. He stared at her in confusion for a moment before he got it. "Do you want me to put it in her hair?"

Her face lit up and she motioned braiding with her hands. It took a few minutes as Zoro had absolutely no idea how to do a braid, but he got it eventually. Slowly he braided the flower into her hair, which was springy and coarse and the exact shade of grass green, and his heart warmed when she looked delightedly at her reflection.

They spoke naught for a while, letting the sounds of the forest and the wind fill the air. Eventually Zoro spoke, breaking the peaceful silence. "What's your name?"

Blinking at him, she said nothing and simply grabbed his hand. Looking at the clasped hands, Zoro was momentarily fascinated by how his hand dwarfed her small and dainty one. Her skin itself was odd, with a dirty bronze tint and the feel of smooth bark.

The quiet surrounded them and though he tried to hold on, Zoro slowly drifted to sleep.

-0-

Waking up, Zoro looked around and found that he was once more alone. He was back where he had started, bottle of booze laying in the grass beside him. Had it all been a dream?

Feeling vaguely sorrowful at that thought, he picked up the bottle, corked it and stuffed it in his haramaki, then began the trek back to the ship.

It was almost sunset when he finally walked up the gangplank to the Sunny. The crew was gathered in the dining hall and most of them stopped, looking up as he walked in. Sitting down on the bench in his customary spot beside Luffy, Zoro realized everyone was staring at him.

"What?" he questioned- had he been gone that long? When no one answered, he scowled and crossed his arms defensively. Then suddenly, Sanji burst out in laughter, tears coming to his eyes as he doubled over. The rest of the crew slowly followed him, bursting into fits of uncontrollable giggles.

Growling, brows furrowing in confusion, he barked out "What the hell are you laughing at?!" No one answered him for a few moments, to busy laughing. Even Robin, usually so controlled, was giggling quietly. The only person just as confused as him was Luffy, who was absently chewing on a drumstick as he stared at the rest of his crew.

Finally, the cook answered him, wiping a tear from his eye. "That's- that's a nice look for you marimo-" And he began laughing once more. Confused, Zoro picked up his still empty plate and looked at his reflection, eyes widening. There, in his hair, was the yellow flower the girl had put in his hair. Added together with the random streaks and smudges and blots of dirt all over him, he did look quite the sight- and yet... and yet he had never felt so good about himself.

Of course, Luffy still hadn't clued in on the joke. "What? I don't get it! What's so funny?"

Most of the crew had settled down now, the only ones still laughing being Sanji, Usopp and Brook. Putting a hand to her mouth to cover her smile, Robin commented bemusedly "It seems swordsman-san has encountered one of the island's legendary earth-spirits."

Chopper gasped, Luffy's eyes sparkled and Nami raised a brow.

Sanji snorted, still laughing. "Probably thought you were one of their own, grass-head!" The stupid cook was leaning on the counter for support, laughing so hard as he had been.

Usually Zoro would have taken offense to this, but all he could think of was the happy little girl who liked his hair.

That night he borrowed a small journal from Robin and slipped the daisy between it's pages.

-0-0-0-0-0


	5. Kobold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Story Challenge:  
> The story is set during an surgery. The story must have a goblin in it.

-0-0-0-0-0-

It had been a rough battle. They'd been abushed in a weak tim eby a large fleet of Marines. They were injured, weak and worst of all, out of cola. They were fighting whether they wanted to or not.

They one in the end of course and no one died, but the wounds were severe. Zoro was of course at the top of the 'critical list' as usual. He'd been shot in the chest five times- somehow he was still standing. Don't question him, he's Zoro. There'd been stranger things in this world.

So Chopper had immediately whisked him away, leaving Robin and Usopp to tend to the rest of the crew while he saved Zoro's life.

-0-0-0-0-0-

It was blurry when he opened his eyes. There were unidentifiable sounds and shapes swimming around him, the smell of anesthetic sharp in the air. Which meant he was probably in the infirmary. Again.

A sharp pain. He gasped as something stabbed him in the chest and began digging around. It immediately stopped though after his gasp.

"Zoro! You shouldn't be awake yet!" It was a high pitched warbly voice that sounded vaguely familiar. Searching around the room, he found a mostly solid brown Blur to his left. There were a few crashes and clangs as his sight slowly cleared up. Then, something stabbed him in the arm, making him grunt in surprise. His vision which had just corrected itself, began to swim again. Growling, he tried to resist it.

The warbly voice spoke again, talking to him in soothing tones. "It's alright Zoro, just relax. Don't fight it." The voice knew his name, but he didn't know the voice. Peering closely at the brown form-thing, he huffed in frustration as it kept molding and shifting. Well, it wasn't human- humans couldn't change shape like that. Glaring hard for a few moments, he came to conclusion that it was a shape shifting goblin. Goblin because it was small and brown like he had heard goblins were. Shape shifting because it wouldn't stay the same when he looked at it. For one moment it had even looked like a reindeer...

Satisfied that he identified the creature, he succumbed to the exhaustio taking over his body and quickly fell under a sheet of black.

Chopper stared worriedly at Zoro who had drifted off mumbling about blurry goblins and strange voices. Biting his lip, he quickly shook his head and continued removing the bullets from Zoro's body.

Medicines always did affect Zoro strangely.

-0-0-0-0-0-


	6. Trapped in Hellish Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't bad enough that Zoro was nearly killed. No- Then something like this had to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to continue this story, but the plot I want needs something specific to happen, so I need to wait a while so the anime/manga can progress more. As for what's going on here, I'd explain to you if I knew. Which I really don't.

Screaming.

That was how it started.

The Strawhat crew had just been about to sit down for dinner, all fake smiles and tense shoulders. Appetites subdued, even Luffy picked at his food, it's succulent flavour not quite enough to erase the looming figure hovering over them, weighing on some heavier than others. Cutlery clinked and food was pushed around plates in a mostly silent room, somber atmosphere plugging the flow of conversation as the eight pirates sat at the table, eyes occasionally darting to the single empty spot. Said spot wasn't usually empty. Sometimes it was, be it for medical purposes or otherwise, but usually it wasn't. Usually, there sat a broad shouldered swordsman with green hair and three named Katana. But not now. Not today.

And maybe never again.

A hoarse shout echoed through the large ship, eight members hurriedly standing up, dishware breaking as they hurried across the boat to rejoin the missing crew member.

Door bursting open, they rushed in, cramming into the tiny room, Chopper in the lead- only to witness Zoro arch off the bed, skin pale and eyes wide and sightless, tortured scream ripping itself from his already worn throat. His body spasmed as though possessed, gasping and gurgling emitting from his lungs, spittle and blood trailing from his open maw. Sweat dripped from his brow, soaking pastel hair and tanned skin, collecting in damp spots on the bed. Calloused hands grappled desperately with the air, as though he was wrestling with an invisible being.

Previously horror stricken and frozen to the spot, they all charged forward as Chopper barked his orders.

"Hold him down!"

Easier said than done. Zoro didn't lift all those weights for nothing after all.

Robin crossed her arms, wincing as Sakura petals drifted to the ground and Zoro destroyed the make shift arms. Franky leaned his all onto the man, trying to pin him down and refrain from injuring him at the same time.

"Get his mouth open!" Long rubbery fingers pried open Zoro's jaws, tanned ones tilting his head and delicate digits pinching his nose. Sedative poured down his throat, excess liquid spilling from the corners of his mouth.

Minutes ticked by, the swordsman's struggles weakening bit by bit until he collapsed into the mattress, chest heaving but finally calm.

"What..." A choked sob. Nami collapsed to her knees, manicured nails scraping the floor's hardwood. "What the hell was that?!" Wasn't it enough that he'd almost died? Why did this have to happen as well? Why did he have to...

"... What the hell was that..?"

... too.


End file.
